


Legally Grim

by vivianmagic



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Multi, lawyer AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-02-22 04:11:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2493941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivianmagic/pseuds/vivianmagic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A legal career seemed like the last thing Ronald Knox would go for but there he was, caught between two of the most fearsome barristers of London who made him worry less for his pupillage, but more for his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When Ronald Knox began his pupillage at one of London’s most famed barristers’ chambers, he envisioned a year of endless paperwork, ungodly overtime hours and absolutely no time for parties, all of which are components of his worst nightmare. He dreaded everything about the life of an apprentice lawyer, so much so he wondered why he chose the legal career in the first place. But there he was, standing at the doorsteps of his new life, looking more like a anxious client than a fresh pupil ready for the big bad world.

“You will be working under the supervision of two of the finest criminal barristers in London, Ronald.” said Alan, who looked way too young to be called a senior clerk, as he toured the youngster through the lounges, meeting rooms and stunning libraries of the chamber, “You must be an extraordinary graduate.” he commented in the end, “I never thought they would agree on anything at all, save team up to supervise a pupil. I believe they were both impressed by your record.”

“My record…” Ronald nodded self-consciously. It was a miracle that he managed to keep his grades up, despite his horrific attendance records back in the Inn. For he was never a fan of traditions, because who wants to sit down and dine with a bunch of sleep-deprived law students and grave-looking professors whose speeches were almost always slurred, when you can throw yourself on a fuzzy couch and share drinks with a girl?

Yes, he wondered how he managed to graduate at all. And how his application got passed on to two of the biggest names in the courts of London remained a mystery.

“Are you ready to meet your supervisors?” Alan asked with a smile.

_No._

“Sure.”

“Great, let’s move to-” Alan’s words were cut short by a pair of heels loudly clicking against the marble floor, “Looks like she’s coming to you.”

“Who’s this helpless pup that I’m looking at?” As Grell Sutcliff emerged from the shadow cast upon her at the end of the hallway, Ronald held his breath: not that he was too nervous to breathe, but because Grell sucked up all the air around her wherever she went. The dull, colorless courthouses seemed ill-suited for a ravishing creature like her. Her mere presence lit up his sight, and maybe that’s why she was there.

_Damn that red hair._

“This is Ronald Knox, your pupil for the next 12 months.” introduced Alan.

Grell beamed at the young man as the latter tried his best to put up a friendly and sincere smile, “Are you ready for a life full of murder, rape and drug crimes, Ronnie?”

Ronald shivered at the nickname. He has been called Ronnie before, but having it come out from the lips of his supervisor 5 seconds after they first met sent chills down his spine. “I guess.” he answered.

“Never say that again.” Grell stared right into his eyes and grinned, “That’s a terrible, terrible answer.” she suddenly turned to Alan, “Has my package arrived?”

“What package?” Alan looked confused.

Grell groaned, “They said they’d post it first thing in the morning. Have you checked everywhere?”

Alan hurriedly nodded before making his way down the stairs, “There was a package this morning but it was designated to Mr Spears. Maybe I should go check aga-”

“No need. I’ll go check myself.” before Alan could respond, Grell had gestured Ronald to follow her as she marched down the hall to knock on a dark door.

“Come in.” said the voice behind the wooden barrier.

Grell stormed in to find a bespectacled man sitting behind the desk with his morning coffee in his hand. Before she had uttered a single word, the man pointed to a chair on the other side of the room, “Your package is over there.”

Ronald froze at the doorway, amazed by what an uncanny contrast this man was to his flamboyant supervisor. This quiet, almost monochrome space stacked with heavy volumes of god-knows-how-ancient legal files made up his natural habitat. His every word and every move barely stirred the room’s unwelcoming air, yet offered the most chilling reminder of his palpable presence.

They exchanged looks, and for a moment Ronald was afraid that he would disappear into that gigantic ebony shelf behind him and never to be found again.

Grell picked up the package and suddenly remembered that there was a third person in the room, “This is Ronald Knox - the pupil, remember?” she raised her brow to look suggestively at the man, “ _Our_  pupil.”

And that was when Ronald realized that his other supervisor’s name was indeed Spears - William T. Spears, the moving statue and breathing stone of London’s courts, he heard. Discipline, regulations and punctuality, words that Ronald dreaded, were floating around William’s neatly-trimmed hairline. He audibly swallowed at the thought of being devoured by the piles and piles of paperwork William would so generously offer.

“Good morning.” was all he could come up with.

“How did those idiots send my package to  _you_  instead?” Grell flipped through the documents in the envelope, looking irritated. “It’s not like we are married and have the same last name.”

William cocked his brow at her remark, “You are a terrible actor, Grell Sutcliff. We both know you gave the wrong name on purpose so you could burst into my room in the name of reclaiming your belongings. Try be more creative next time or stop with your plots altogether.”

Grell dumped the package into Ronald’s arms as the young man yelped to balance the item in a tight embrace, “I didn’t  _burst_  in, I  _knocked_! Fine, you busted me again, Will. But we both know because Ronnie is coming today, I’m going to bump into to you anyway. Why bother with the package? You sure you are not overthinking, my dear?”

William frowned, “We both know what’s happening, but let’s save this pupil the trouble of listening to your babbles so he can begin his apprenticeship with some peace of mind.” he sipped his coffee, “Also, he’s with you for the day as I will be meeting with the solicitor.”

“The guy’s name is Eric. You are going to hurt Alan’s feelings if he knew you talked about his love interest as if he were a stranger.”

“I doubt Alan Humphries would let his emotions get in the way of his job. As a matter of fact, I think he handles it way better than you do.”

Grell reached out an arm to touch William’s tie, “You haven’t changed a bit since I last saw you, Will.”

“You last saw me the past Friday.”

“I like your tie.”

“It’s the same tie as the past Friday.”

“Doesn’t matter. I like it.” she paused to look at him in the eye, “Dinner?”

“No.”

Then she suddenly snapped and dragged Ronald out of the room, “See you later, Darling!” and shut the door behind them.

“I’m  _not_  your darling!” William’s voice slipped through the narrowing gaps of the door and into the hollow hallway.

“Pardon my man, he needs some time to get used to having one more person in the building.” Grell said with a Cheshire grin, “Guess you’re stuck with me today, Ronnie.”

“What was that?” Ronald asked, still holding the package in his arms, “Is this package of any importance?”

“Nah, just some lousy documents.”

“Then why…” Ronald followed the redhead as she briskly walked towards her own office, “I mean, your argument made sense. Why would this package end up on his desk?”

“Because I want to catch him having coffee without his suitcoat on, that’s why.” Grell giggled and her face flashed red, “If I called him out to meet you formally, he’d have to put on that unappealing wrapping, and I won’t get to see his marvelous torso. I mean, he looks nice with the suitcoat on too, but I needed my morning fix.” she paused at the door to look at Ronald, “You sure have a lot of questions, Rookie. Anything else?”

Ronald bit his lip nervously, “The solicitor-”

“O you’ll meet Eric sooner or later. He hands us a lot of cases, a lot of  _interesting_  cases. Alan is kind of on-and-off about him. I think he likes Eric but he’s just too shy to admit it - he’s like our business partner after all. But that’s silly because Eric would  _never_  shut up about him. At some point they’d be fucking, I’m sure so don’t you worry.”

Ronald wasn’t worried, nor was he sure if he was supposed to know _this_  much about someone he has never met.

“By the way,” Grell added, “if you have any question about work, the archives or this place in general, just ask Alan. He knows every word on every page in every book on this floor. And you do  _not_  want to piss him off.”

“Okay…” Alan didn’t look like the kind to throw a tantrum, but that advice was duly noted.

When Grell finally opened the door to her office, Ronald knew his supervisor, however hospitable she appeared to be, had no intention to make his life any easier.

“How do you even work in a place like this?” he asked as he skipped through scattering piles of notes and opened books lying on the floor.

Grell shrugged, “Why do you think I need a pupil?” she snatched a folder from her desk before turning around for the door, “I’ll be reading in the lounge. I want everything back to where they belong when I get back.”

“When will you be back?”

“After I finish reading.” Grell smirked, “And I’m a fast reader, grasshopper.”

As the door shut in front of him, Ronald knew he could not afford a moment of hesitance if he were to survive at the Bar.

**_T.B.C._ **

(You have no idea how much time I spent researching on the British legal system =A= [This](http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-a-barrister/guidance-for-applications/frequently-asked-questions/) might be a good place to start if you are interested.)


	2. Chapter 2

The first six months of the pupillage is always assumed to be easier, and Ronald Knox certainly hoped that had been true.

He navigated through the seemingly endless rows of law books, and plunged into the depth of the chamber’s archives, barely finding a chance to breathe and wondering how in the world Alan Humphries managed to store all these information in his head.

Seriously, he was appalled by Alan’s memory. No wonder the man could earn this job title at an age not much older than himself. Every time Ronald was out of his depth, which was often when his supervisors tasked him with finding some unheard of cases from some infinite cabinets, he would sneak to Alan’s desk to consult the all-knowing senior clerk. He knew he was not supposed to do that, but Alan promised to never tell his two supervisors.

Yes, his two supervisors, by the way, are bizarre people, for the lack of a better word.

~*~*~

Making their way back to the chamber from a court hearing, Grell and Ronald caught sight - through the window - of a man chatting with Alan by his desk.

“Eric…” Ronald muttered.

Grell asked in surprise, “How did you-wait, do you know him?”

Ronald nodded, “I thought the name rang a bell, but I had no idea it’s the same Eric!” he leaned forward to whisper to his supervisor, even though they were on the street and there was no chance for the pair inside to know what they were saying, “He probably doesn’t remember me, but everyone knew him back in the Inn. You do  _not_  want this guy at your parties.”

“Really?” Grell stared curiously at the tall man from a distance, “Is he a bad drinker?”

“Quite the opposite. He never gets drunk, starts every conversation with ‘I’m not interested in girls’ but has at least two gals at his heels  _at all times_. Lads like me just don’t stand a chance.”

“Goodness, I should write it down.” Grell smirked.

“But I heard he’s a nice guy and-” before he finished, Grell had pushed through the entrance into the chamber.

“Good afternoon, Ms Sutcliff.” Eric waved at the pair with a wide smile on his face, “And look at this fine young man, you must be Mr Knox.” he offered a firm handshake which Ronald’s wrist would remember for the rest of the day.

“Please call me Ronald.”

“The name is Eric Slingby.” he shielded his mouth with a hand and asked Ronald out loud, “I hope she’s not driving you too crazy.”

“ _Eric!_ ” Alan exclaimed, “That’s rude.”

Grell chuckled, “Unlike you, Eric, I have standards.” before going upstairs.

Ronald briskly followed.

Eric shrugged dismissively, “I heard you are getting clients through direct access now, Grell. I guess you won’t be needing good old me around very soon.”

Grell continued her way up, not looking down at the solicitor, “Don’t you worry, my friend. I’m sure Will still prefers to work with someone like you.”

When the two returned to Grell’s office, Ronald asked, “So people have direct access to you now, Ms Sutcliff?”

“Why not? It always bugs me a little to have solicitors as the middleman anyway. Will always prefers a solicitor over direct access. He doesn’t like people and he’d do everything in his power to keep interpersonal interaction to the minimum. I, on the other hand, resent filtered material. Of course it helps me to make objective arguments, but wouldn’t you feel like walking on thin ice when you can’t have direct contact with the client and hear the whole story? I do trust Eric, without a doubt, but you also have to admit that’s a boring way to do your job. Don’t you agree?”

Ronald was too early into his pupillage to even consider that kind of question, “I guess we all have our own way of doing things.”

Grell sneered, “That’s also a boring answer.”

“But wouldn’t direct access increase your workload, given that now you have to talk directly to the client and expose yourself to the case? Things could get messy.”

“That’s the point, Ronnie.” Grell put her feet on the desk as she sank into her chair, “The messier the better. Why shut yourself from the thrill of a disoriented story only to reach a balanced conclusion? The big picture is always more interesting. Will would disagree, but he is also incapable of human joy.”

Ronald listened carefully before adding, “You know Mr Spears very well.”

Grell blushed a little before turning around to face the window, “He and I go way back. I feel like I’ve known him forever. We were closer back in the Inn though.”

Ronald wasn’t sure if he should keep on talking, but the question just slipped out of his mouth, “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Grell answered without hesitation, “We still work in the same chamber, close to each other. We’re fine.”

~*~*~

Ronald asked William about direct access the next day, and his answer was not much different from Grell’s.

“Having a solicitor, especially someone I had worked with for many years, is just a more efficient approach. I’m sure she’d disagree. I guess that also explains why you have been tidying up her office lately, since she never has the time to do it herself.”

Ronald groaned bitterly, “But your room, in comparison, is so inhumanly neat, it’s as if no one has ever opened a book or had coffee on your desk. It seems impossible.”

“Not if you have good time management, which I’m certain is something Grell Sutcliff is still struggling with up to this day.”

Ronald stopped in his track, “So how long have you known each other?”

William turned around, obviously surprised by the pupil’s question, “We graduated together, but I have known her before that. Why do you want to know?”

“So you guys were like…friends?”

“We’d be late for the meeting, Ronald Knox.”

~*~*~

It was as if the two barristers lived in different universes, only colliding against each other in the most unthinkable circumstances, or so it appeared to be.

Ronald would sometimes catch them having lunch together in one of the sandwich places nearby. He didn’t know what they were saying, or if they were talking at all, but what he could not get out of his mind was the way Grell looked at William when the latter wasn’t paying attention. Having a girlfriend was not Ronald Knox’s priority at that point in life, but he knew he wanted to be looked at that way if he ever had one.

Winter was approaching and Ronald noticed Grell was staying in her office way behind her usual hours. Working at the Bar is time-consuming job, but Ronald would do everything he could to remind his supervisors that the clock had struck six and it’s time for them to send him home. It surprised him at first when both of them complied, but later he learnt from Alan that neither of them could stand staying in the chamber after six either.

And that’s why it was so strange that Grell would linger by her desk after dark without complaint.

Ronald noticed that she had been reading from a red folder lately. He assumed it was an important case, but unlike other cases, all of which she happily shared with him, Grell always kept that red folder in her suitcase, never putting it out of her sight. She never talked about it, and he never asked.

It must be one of the  _interesting_  cases, he told himself.

~*~*~

It was late-October and the signs of winter only became more obvious. The clock had struck nine when William walked into the entryway of the chamber. Apparently Ronald had misplaced some of his documents so he had come back to retrieve them. Fixing someone else’s mistake was the last thing he wanted, but he would make that clear to the kid first thing tomorrow morning. As he climbed up the stairs, he noticed that Grell’s door was still half-open.

“Honestly…” he adjusted his glasses, wondering what got into the redhead’s mind to make her forget to lock the door up properly. But when he peeked through the narrow gap, he understood why.

Grell was fast asleep on her desk, hair spilling all over her files and running down the edge like a red waterfall.

William shut the door behind him, put down his suitcase and walked up to her, “Grell Sutcliff.”

There was no response.

“Grell Sutcliff, wake up.”

Still nothing.

William bowed to gently shake her shoulder, “Wake up, Grell.” when the redhead suddenly shot up from her chair, almost knocking him over.

“Will! Why are you here?”

“To retrieve some documents. Why are  _you_  still here?”

Grell looked around aimlessly before shoving a red folder into her suitcase, “I-I must have fallen asleep while reading. I hope I didn’t drool on anything.” she joked nervously.

“Big cases?” William asked as he picked up his suitcase and moved to the door.

“Nothing I can’t handle, my dear.” Grell followed him out after putting her coat on, “Who knows when I’d wake up had you not been here!” she cozied up to him by circling her arm around his. “Anyway, what I’m saying is, I’m so glad you came.”

They locked the door, quickly went inside William’s office to pick up the missing files, and dove right back into the cold.

“So chilly.” Grell breathed into her palms before sneaking a hand over to gently pull at William’s scarf, “It’s the one I gave you for Christmas a few years back, isn’t it? I didn’t know you’d still wear it.”

William looked down and answered calmly, “It keeps me warm.”

Grell blushed at his words, “Should I get you a new one this year?”

William frowned, “Why would I need a new one? This one is perfectly fine.”

Grell chuckled as she pressed her burning cheek against William’s shoulder, “You are not good at getting rid of old things, are you?”

“I just don’t see the point of replacing them when they are good as new. It’s too much trouble and a waste of money.”

“Do you know how much you sound like an eighty-year-old, Will?” Grell sighed, burying her icy nose in William’s collar, “I wonder why I’m so obsessed with you.”

“Me too.” said William without the slightest indication of irritation.

“Are you escorting me home, by the way?” she asked playfully, “You did wake me up from sleep, Prince Charming. Would be nice if you could do the whole package.”

“May I ask what else is in this package? Because dropping you off at the door is the final task that I am willing to complete.”

Grell giggled into his coat, “That’s all I’m asking for, silly man. What else were you thinking?”

“Nothing.” he answered, apparently embarrassed by the question.

It was a freezing yet pleasant night. As the two walked into the underground arm in arm, William couldn’t help but ask himself why this has become a rare occurrence. He wondered what had changed between them, and, as he inhaled her perfume, the scent of which he was all too familiar with, if they could still go back to where they used to be, back to the days when they could do everything together.

In retrospect, after that quick glance over her desk, William wished he had also asked her more about the murder trial of one Baroness Angelina Dalles-Burnett.

_**T.B.C.** _


	3. Chapter 3

“I see she’s working on a high-profile case, Ronald Knox.”

“You mean the one with Baroness-”

“Yes, the Madam Red case.” William cut off the boy’s sentence rather abruptly, not wanting to hear the full name of the person on trial.

It was a miserable November afternoon, dampened with cold rain. William brought up the subject - almost too casually - as the two bid farewell at the gate of the chamber.

Grell was staying behind in her office for the umpteenth time in a month.

“She’s really focused on it. We barely talk anymore.” Ronald answered.

William’s eyebrows twitched alarmingly, “She didn’t let you follow up on that case?”

“No, she never lets me access any of the materials - kept everything in a red folder.”

“I know.”

The young man knitted his brows in concern, “It’s insane. I can’t believe I can only learn more about  _my_  supervisor’s case through the news.”

William shut his eyes as he opened his umbrella, “She’s like that sometimes. I guess this case is simply too important for her to risk getting a second opinion. Or she’s just avoiding any opinion. Either way, this doesn’t sound good.”

“What are you going to do, Mr Spears?”

William opened his emerald eyes and stared forward, “I’ll see you on Monday, Ronald Knox.” He watched as the boy hesitantly dash through the rain without cover and disappear into the underground station, then closed his umbrella and walked right back into the chamber.

~*~*~

William carefully pushed the door open and entered Grell’s office, “You’re surprisingly diligent lately.”

Grell yawned before smiling tiredly at him, “I take that as a compliment.”

William stopped in front of her desk, glancing across the mess that is her workspace, “Ever thought about using some help?”

Grell giggled, like a little girl plotting a prank, “Not this time. The kid is too young for a case like this. We can give him hell all we want in his second six, but right now, let’s just make his life a little easier.”

“You are not usually this considerate.”

“Again, I take that as a compliment, my dear.” she winked at him.

William sighed at her lack of seriousness, but he knew he shouldn’t be surprised at all. “Your case has been making headlines for the past weeks. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I know it’s a difficult argument to make.” he could see Grell’s expression change as he spoke.

The redhead sat up from her chair and leaned forward, her voice drifting lower, “Are you questioning my ability to handle this case, Will?”

“Honestly, I said no such thi-”

“But that’s what you’re  _thinking_.” she let out a sarcastic laugh, “You think I’m overly confident, too proud to ask for assistance and too obsessed with the case to even consider the tiny chance of failure.”

“The Phantomhives are determined to put her in prison for life. I’m not saying you’re not qualified to fight them, but given how solid the evidence is, pleading not guilty seems a bit - how should I say - too ambitious. The chances are stacked against her. Maybe you should-”

“I told you that’s  _exactly_  what is on your mind.” Grell rose impatiently, “I don’t work for you, Mr Spears. We happened to have the same job title and you work in an office opposite to mine,  _that’s it_. This is  _my_  case and I shall do whatever I can to keep my client out of jail. Period.” she then pointed to her half-open door, “It’s late. I’m sure you’d like to go home since you resent spending time here after work.”

William stared solemnly at her, “Do you remember why we became barristers in the first place?”

Feeling more humiliated by his remarks than ever, Grell lashed out the moment she heard the question, “Out!” sharp teeth visible between her angry lips.

“Don’t invest too much emotion in one case. It’d hinder your judgment.”

“I don’t need a B student to lecture me on how I should do my job!” she made the final call, her arm remained in the air, “Get out of my office,  _NOW_!”

William opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He fell silent for a while before nodding slightly and retreating from the room, “I’ll leave you alone then.” he whispered. There was no point in talking sense into her anymore, he realized. He has seen this Grell before. It didn’t end well last time, and he was sure it wouldn’t this time around, either. What frustrated him the most was that he didn’t know what to do. A familiar sense of hopelessness floored him, bringing him back events he wished had ended differently, fond memories of a relationship he wished hadn’t fallen apart.

He hated himself for not being able to do more then, and he hates himself now for not being able to do anything.

Maybe he is indeed that sadistic control freak she once accused him of being. Maybe he should just leave her alone this time. She could be going down a risky path, but his concerns seemed to have always made the matter worse. He wanted to change her mind, but she would not stand being challenged. He could be wrong this time and maybe she would get what she wanted. He doesn’t like being wrong, but he hope he is.

After all, she doesn’t work for him. What right does he have to question her decisions?

He probably cared too much anyway.

~*~*~

Agreeing to Eric’s invitation to hit the bar was definitely a bad idea, although it didn’t take Ronald Knox long to strike off a mildly suggestive conversation with someone 3 minutes after he entered the place. It was a miracle that he’d even have the time to hang out in places like this during his first six. His supervisors are definitely going easy on him, he thought. But it also reminded Ronald that one of them refused to share her case with him. Is it because she didn’t trust him? Or she thought he wasn’t qualified to even hear about her case? And Mr Spears’ reaction was even more curious. Was he not pleased with her secrecy? What would he do? There were so many questions in his head that he didn’t even notice when his companion left the stool.

“I’m sorry, where are yo-” he turned around, “Oh…”

Eric arrived, alone.

He should have seen this coming.

Eric definitely knows how to suck energy from people around to feed his infectious glamour. Whether he declared his inavailability to people of the female persuasion doesn’t change a thing, and Ronald envied him for that.

There he was, chatting with the girl who 30 seconds ago was mentally making out with Ronald. But it didn’t take long for Eric to realize that his guest had arrived before him, “Hey, Ron!” he waved as he approached the boy, now sulking alone at the corner, “You’re early.”

“You’re late.” Ronald replied dryly.

Eric snickered, “Why are you looking at me like this? Sour grapes?”

Ronald sighed, “Nevermind.” and the moment he finished, another girl came up to greet Eric, completely ignoring the blond next to him.

Eric obviously felt the boy’s unease, but he didn’t like turning people away, so he stayed where he was and engaged the girl in what appeared to be a very interesting conversation.

Ronald heard none of it and only rolled his eyes with a smirk before ordering another drink.

As long as Eric is around, his evening is doomed.

Having only a fraction of Eric's fun, Ronald gritted his teeth and headed outside to get some fresh air when he unexpectedly bumped into his savior, “Alan!”

Seconds after he shouted the clerk’s name, Eric was behind him, eagerly dragging the brunnette inside by the wrist, “I've been waiting for you forever. Let's get you a drink, Alan!”

Ronald almost smiled ear to ear:  _if only Alan had arrived earlier!_

The three sat down at a table and Ronald could finally revenge by being the unmovable third wheel.

“Hey, Ron, why don’t you go talk to those ladies over there?” Eric suggested, his hands on the table, anxiously waiting to move closer to Alan’s.

Ronald shook his head, a wide, innocent smile plastered onto his face, “No, I’m pretty comfortable here.”

“Let him stay, Eric.” Alan said, completely unaware of the tension, “He had a long day at the chamber. Am I right, Ronald?”

“Certainly.” Ronald answered.

“Speaking of the chamber,” Eric leaned back against his seat, an arm sneaking behind Alan’s shoulders, “what’s with Grell? I’ve been reading about her case from the papers, but she wouldn’t say a word about it.”

“You mean the Madam Red case?” Alan asked, “She’s going to court next week.”

“Pleading not guilty with a crystal-clear motive and broken alibi, she’s got herself in some dicey business... Also, how did she get her hands on this case in the first place? I know she can be directly accessed now, but I don’t remember the Madam Red people ever approaching her. Know anything, Alan?”

Alan shook his head, “I don’t have the details, sorry. But I think she’s very determined to get the Baroness off the charges. Maybe she just wants to concentrate on the case. She’s an experienced barrister, after all. She knows what she’s doing.”

Ronald audibly swallowed, not sure if he was supposed to bring up William’s reactions from earlier, instead, he settled for a different set of questions he had been brewing for some time, “Ms Sutcliff and Mr Spears…” he stared blankly into his empty glass, “are they old friends?”

Eric chuckled, “They’re friend like Alan and I are  _just friends_.”

“ _Eric!_ ” Alan gently slapped the taller man on his chest, his face red with embarrassment, “But we  _are_  friends.”

Still caught in his own thoughts, Ronald continued, “So they are like...lovers?”

“I’m surprised you never heard about their days in the Inn.” Eric sat up, “They were inseparable.”

“Really?” Ronald found that hard to imagine, “But what happened? I mean, they sure know each other quite well but they’re not what I’d call  _close_ … You know what I mean?”

“ _Totally._  I had the same questions when I started working with them.” Eric nodded, “But no one knows the answer, sorry, Ron. They are just weird people, and weird people have weird reasons for break-up, I guess.”

_**T.B.C.** _


	4. Chapter 4

**_Guilty._ **

~*~*~

Grell sat alone in the empty, unfeeling hallway of the courthouse, the fateful verdict on constant replay in her mind.

_Why did Angelina do that?_

She buried her face in her palms, but not making a sound.

Footsteps were heard in the distance.

Grell lifted her head, but immediately turned away.

William stopped to point at the bench, “May I sit down?”

Still looking away, Grell moved slightly to the edge.

“I take that as a yes.” he sat next to her, hands on his lap, “You doing okay?”

“I’m fine.” Grell grumbled, “You don’t have to be here to pity me.”

William rolled his eyes, “Don’t be ridiculous, Grell.”

“Am I wrong? You must be delighted to see this result. Don’t waste your talent, go grab a crystal ball and start a new career!” she finger-combed her hair bitterly, “You love being right, and now you are.”

William sighed, “I wish I wasn’t.”

Grell turned to face him, obviously confused by his response.

“I don’t get off seeing you fail, Grell.” William leaned back against the chilling marble wall behind them, “As a matter of fact, I hate it. The reason I said those things to you was to avoid a situation like this. I guess the message didn’t really get through, but it doesn’t matter now...” he paused to gaze at Grell, who again hid her face from him. His heart ached seeing her like this, but he didn’t know how to tell her. “But you know she did it, right?”

Grell sneered, “Of course, I do.”

“Yet you want her to walk out of here free.”

“She’s my client. I do whatever I can.” Grell bit her lips in frustration, “If only she didn’t…”

“Grell, that’s her decision, you couldn’t have known.”

“I had the  _perfect_  argument!” Grell raised her voice, “Yes, her alibi was flawed but they also lacked decisive evidence to put her in the crime scene!”

“When in doubt, favor the accused.” William whispered to himself.

“If only she didn’t flip her own testimony! We agreed on everything! Had she kept her mouth shut and did what she was told, she’d be a free woman now!”

“It was her decision to confess, not yours. There is nothing you can do.”

“She promised me!” Grell shivered when she realized that her voice was cracking, and she quickly folded her arms around herself to hide the embarrassment, “I guess you would tell me to not trust a serial killer in the first place.”

“She’s your client, you are supposed to have  _some_  sort of trust in each other… Had she not suddenly confessed to all the murders, you might have got her off at least some of the charges.” he put a hand on her shoulder, “They used her nephew to break her. You can’t compete with that. She may be a cold-blooded murderer, but she’s still a vulnerable human being. You did your best.”

Grell stared up at him, unsure of what she just heard, “How long have you been here?”

“The whole time you were in court.”

“Was Ronnie also here?”

“Yes, I told him to come.”

Grell groaned in dismay, “Why did you do that? He’d think I’m such a failure.”

“He shouldn’t be expecting a perfect record from anyone. Again, it’s not your fault. He will understand.”

“My client decided to dump me for people who did everything they could to put her in jail. No, I’m not a failure, I’m just pathetic as hell.” she shook her head, “I can’t believe she betrayed me.”

“You became really attached to her, didn’t you?” William asked, “She grew on you, and now you are angry at the result because she didn’t fulfill her promise.” he leaned forward to look at her in the eye, “You didn’t become her barrister until the last minute, did she approach you, or did you volunteer to be her lawyer?”

Grell backed away defensively, “Stop interrogating me like I’m a suspect! If you want to find fault in me so you can feel good about yourself, wait till another day.”

William froze for a moment, then looked down at his shoes, “I’m not very good at letting you understand my true intentions, am I?”

“You never were.” Grell answered dryly.

 _Great, this conversation is going nowhere._  William thought, and then his phone beeped. “You have been neglecting your calls, now they are nagging me.” he handed his phone over to show Grell the texts from their colleagues, “How should I answer them?”

“Tell them I’m fine… I’ll call them later.”

William sent the texts and rose from the bench, “Let’s get you home, Grell Sutcliff. It’s getting late and you can’t sit here forever.”

Grell blinked at him skeptically, “Why are you suddenly so attentive?”

“I’m not. I’ll just get a cab and take you home.”

And the next moment, Grell was sitting at the back of a cab, looking out of the window as London’s nightlights flashed before her eyes. William sat quietly by her side but neither spoke. There was nothing to talk about anyway.

The cab pulled up outside Grell’s apartment, and William was dragged out into the cold by a surprising invitation.

“Why don’t you come inside for a drink, Will?”

“We have to work tomorrow, Grell-”

“It’s just a drink, won’t take you long.”

For some reason, William couldn’t find a way to turn her down, although he knew the “won’t take you long” part was definitely a lie.

They clinked glasses, and the wine swirled down William’s throat, stinging his esophagus in a rather pleasant way. It was a freezing night, after all. He thought he could use some warmth.

“It’s so strange.” Grell lied on the couch in her pink night gown, eyes on the ceiling and an empty glass in her hand, “I screwed up a case, you made a lame attempt to cheer me up, only offending me more, and somehow I still want you to stay with me for the night. I’m such a masochist.”

“Honestly, I can always leave if you want.”

“You are missing the point, William.” Grell put down her glass and sat up, “Why are you even here? You don’t have to be.”

William did not prepare an answer for that, “Is my presence bothering you?”

“Your presence  _always_  bothers me.” Grell chuckled as she shielded her eyes with the back of her hand, cheeks flushing red from the alcohol, “But in a good way.” she reached out an arm to pull him down to the couch with her, “Do you want to stay though? I don’t want you to get stuck here sulking… Although I can never tell when you are  _not_  sulking.” feeling a bit tipsy, she bumped her forehead against his shoulder.

William didn’t move as she slowly clung onto his shoulders, “Are you drunk?”

Grell shook her head.

“You must be exhausted.”

“I’m okay.”

“I shouldn’t keep you out of bed, Grell.” he nudged her off his shoulders, “You need to rest.”

“Can’t you stay a little longer though?” she asked softly, “I don’t want to be alone.”

William hesitated, “You sure that’s what you want?”

“Of course.” she laid a hand on his before pecking his cheek, “Can you? Even just for a little longer?”

William gave in as he swept the redhead in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. “I’ll stay until you’ve fallen asleep.” and a part of him regretted saying that when he tucked her in.

“What a gentleman.” Grell yawned, a hand still pulling at William’s sleeve, “Come lie down with me, Will.”

“You said it wouldn’t take long.”

“Well, how could you tell whether I have fallen asleep if you weren’t lying down here with me?”

 _Good point._  And William was secretly pleased that she made a compelling argument. Plus, it’s not like he has never done it before anyway. So he lied down on the sheets facing up, hoping Grell wouldn’t hear his accelerating heartbeat.

Grell buried half of her face under the sheets as she turned sideways to look at her seemingly reluctant bedmate, “I know I made you feel like you’ve done a terrible job, but I’m glad you stayed.”

“It’s okay. Just go to sleep.”

She giggled, “You’re bossy.” before creeping closer to rest her head against his shoulder and drifting off to sleep.

_**T.B.C.** _


	5. Chapter 5

When William showed up at the chamber the next day, he was met with a question eagerly displayed on Ronald and Alan’s faces.

“She has a cold.” he replied to their unspoken inquiry, “Redirect her calls to me in case of emergency.”

Ronald quickly followed him upstairs, “I hope she’s doing okay.”

“She is.” he answered coldly, “Now tell me what you’ve got about that child abduction case I gave you last week.”

~*~*~

When Grell opened her eyes, it was already past noon.

“Holy-” she hurriedly snatched her phone to find a new mail from the ever-so-kind Alan wishing her “a speedy recovery”. Puzzled, she scrolled down a few messages and came to an one-liner saying,  _“I told them you had a cold.”_

She sighed:  _would it kill him to write just one more sentence?_

William had long left, and it felt as if he never came.

She curled up in her sheets to reminisce last night’s events. Her memory was a bit fuzzy but she did remember falling asleep beside him.

She also had a dream. But it was just a dream.

Grell buried her face in the pillows, trying to capture William’s scent hidden in the soft fabrics when her phone suddenly started vibrating.

“Hello?”

_“Ms Sutcliff?”_

“Ronald!” she couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s concerned voice.

_“Are you alright? Mr Spears said you had a cold.”_

“Be grateful. Now you only get 50% of the supervision.”

Ronald groaned,  _“I’m sure Mr Spears would keep me 100% busy.”_

“How is he?”

_“He’s…normal. Why?”_

“Nothing.” she bit her lip, “He hasn’t called yet.”

 _“He’s a busy man, you know. Also, I’m done clearing up your desk so when you come back tomorrow morning, it would be squeaky clean. Alright, I’ve got to finish lunch and get back to work now or he’ll kill me. Bye!”_  and he hung up.

Grell kept the phone close to her ear, picturing how William was shepherding the kid in her absence when the device shook in her palm again. “O dear, poor Ronnie can’t even survive without my voice for two seconds.” she answered the phone without looking, “What is it, Pup? Is Daddy mean to you again?”

_“Grell Sutcliff?”_

“Sh-” Grell covered her mouth before spouting something she would certainly regret later, “William, you scared me!”

_“One would assume you could have at least checked caller ID.”_

“I’ve been expecting your call since forever.”

_“Your phone was busy just now.”_

“That’s because Ronnie beat you to it.”

_“It’s not a competition, Grell.”_

“Are you jealous?”

_“Honestly, Grell, that’s a stupid question.”_

Grell giggled, “When did you leave last night?”

There was hesitance on the other end,  _“Some time around midnight.”_  he answered.

“Oh…” Grell couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice, “I had no idea… You left without a trace, so it felt as if you were never here.”

 _“Of course, because you were asleep.”_  William wondered why she sounded so sad.

Grell took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, “I’m glad you stayed, Will. What should I do to return the favor?”

William wasn’t expecting this offer,  _“You don’t have to.”_

“Can I come over tonight?”

He hesitated again,  _“I…arrive home at around seven.”_

“I’ll see you at seven then.”

~*~*~

It was seven and there she was, that alarming shade of red outside his door. It was approaching holiday season, and had she worn something green William would have mistaken her as a Christmas tree.

_But she’d NEVER wear green._

Even a fashion illiterate like William found that to be a horrible idea. He wished he never had it and now the image is stuck in his head.

“I bought you groceries.” Grell waved a bag in the air in excitement, “I don’t know what you have in the fridge but I’m guessing plain and unadventurous ingredients.”

“It’s only food.” William frowned, secretly happy that her well-dressed figure helped to overlay his dreadful imagination, “It’s not meant to be adventurous.” he opened the door and Grell immediately rushed inside.

“ _God_  I miss this place.”

“Last time you came, you spent an hour complaining how tedious it is.”

Grell quickly dropped the bag by the sink and returned to the living room, “Okay, correction. I don’t miss this place. I miss  _you_.”

William was in the midst of taking his scarf off. He froze for a second before resuming, although that pause was a little too obvious. “You see me almost every day.”

“I know,” Grell smiled at him, “and I miss you.”

~*~*~

Grell did bring some colors to the table, but William had to keep her hands in his sight to make sure he still has a place to sleep at night. Fortunately, everything turned out to be edible.

Dinner was otherwise uneventful, the same would have gone for the entire evening had Grell not produced a bucket of chocolate chip ice cream from the freezer and joined William on the couch, “Want some?”

William had no idea when she put it in his fridge, and he declined, ‘It’s the middle of December.”

“Never too cold for ice cream, Will.” she shoved a spoonful and raised it to the level of his mouth, “You sure you don’t want any?”

William stared first at the spoon, then at her. “I’ll go get my own spoon.”

“No, you idiot, what’s wrong with sharing a spoon with me?” she draped an arm around his to keep him seated.

Unable and secretly unwilling to move, William succumbed and took a bite.

Grell grinned in satisfaction before resting her head on his shoulder, “I called Pops today.”

“To talk about the case?” William was reminded how long he hadn’t called their beloved professor, respectable old Lord Lawrence Anderson. He had been distracted for a while, after all.

Grell huffed at his guess, “ _Of course not!_  Why would I update him on my latest screw-up? Plus, he can just read it from the papers.” she offered another spoonful to William but he just left it hanging in midair. “He asked me about you by the way.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing. I just told him you’re fine, which you obviously are, and you’re still that same stoic introvert who is easily offended.” she pushed the spoon forward until William reluctantly took another bite, “Also, if you’re thinking about calling him, just remember to not crush his poor old soul by telling him that we’re no longer a thing.”

“Wait, you can’t be suggesting-”

“I am.” Grell sat up in a moment of rare seriousness, “He still thinks we’re together.”

William adjusted his glasses, “No wonder he still sends me greeting cards addressed to both of us.” he coughed, “Turns out he wasn’t trying to save postage.”

Grell chuckled, “You are funnier than the jokes you are trying to tell.” before sliding back onto his shoulder again, “But you can’t blame him, he was the one who outed us first after all.”

“If by outing you mean you  _accidentally_  told him that we were dumping all our books on the your upper bunk, inevitably leading to the question of where you were sleeping instead, and…” William turned his face away at the memory, “It was awkward.”

Grell laughed uncontrollably against his chest like a vibrating phone, “You were _mortified_.”

“I’m guessing you were more than proud to make it public.”

“I’m more surprised that you weren’t bragging about sleeping with me, because you should consider yourself blessed that someone as awesome as myself would even lay a finger on you.”

 _There you go again._  William adjusted his position to give her more room to stretch on the couch, “Honestly…”

“You were a lousy roommate too. Talks too little, disagrees with me too much, and has the tendency to spoil every movie I watch.” When she finally had her fill with the ice cream, she put the bucket aside and pressed her hands on William’s lap, “Are you enjoying the evening so far, Will?”

“You mean listening to your complaints about what terrible company I was? Yes, so far so good.” William never considered himself to be a sarcastic person, but it appeared that he was a natural.

He turned and their eyes met. He saw fire in her eyes and he wondered if she could find similar lights behind his habitually grim gaze.

Grell smirked, her face was beaming a pleasant shade of red when she asked teasingly, “Are you mentally undressing me, Will?”

“Are you?”

_**“Yes.”** _

William felt like he just blacked out:  _what did he just ask her again?_

Displeased by his lack of action, Grell circled her arms around his neck, the movement on her chest becoming more and more evident, “What do you want, William?”

It felt like that snowy December night in his lower bunk all over again. Both anxious, she was lustful, and he - lost all self-control.

 _ **“You.”**_  he answered.

When their lips crushed together in a burning kiss, he could taste a gratifying mixture of chocolate and vanilla.

_**T.B.C.** _


	6. Chapter 6

It’s been a while since Grell last woke up to someone. It was even longer since she woke up to a  _certain_  someone.

She sighed contently before kissing William.

William lazily returned the kiss, eyes still closed, but when Grell lingered a little too long, he groaned and retreated into the duvet.

Grell let out a mischievous laugh as she mussed his hair, “I missed your bed hair, Will.”

William grumbled but no one heard what he was complaining about.

“You caught me by surprise, by the way.” the redhead propped her elbow up to admire her bedmate’s features from above, “You were in even better shape than I thought-not that I expect any less of you, but I thought you’d at least be a little rusty after all these years… I guess that’s what the lube was for, but anyway,  _you_ , Mr Spears, were spectacular last night, and your lady is more than pleased.” she didn’t care if he wasn’t listening, she just had to say it. “And I hope we can do it again.  _Soon._ ”

That was when William opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on the blurry image that was Grell’s face, “Are you going back to work today?” he asked sleepily.

“And for one moment I thought you’d care about something else.” Grell giggled before pulling him into another deep kiss. She kept her lips close even after they broke apart, “I will return to work only if my knight in shining armour escorts me to the chamber.”

“Honestly…” William shut his eyes again and pecked her forehead, his fingers stroking her face.

Grell leaned in to his touch, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck, “Can I ask you something, Will?”

William opened his eyes, “What is it?”

Grell swallowed, the question had been lingering in her mind for so long she almost forgot why she bothered to ask in the first place, So long that the words were losing meaning and the entire sentence and everything she wished to know had become something like a hanging needle. A needle that is usually stationary against her heart when she wasn’t thinking about it, but would start spinning and scrape the flesh till it bleeds the moment she realizes its presence.

She parted her lips, hesitated, but finally asked, “What happened to us, William?”

William frowned in confusion. It took a moment before he figured out what Grell was referring to, but he wanted to play safe, “What do you mean?”

“You do remember how smitten we were back in the days, don’t you?” she backed away a little to look at him directly in the eye, “So, what happened?”

William turned to lie on his back, obviously trying to evade eye contact, “It was years ago, why are you bringing it up now?”

Grell’s patience was wearing thin. They were going nowhere if he kept answering her questions with another question. She bit her lower lip before uttering the inevitable name, “Is it about Wallis?”

“No, and don’t speculate.” his answer was uncannily immediate.

“I take that as a yes.” Grell snapped, “You were never a good liar, Will.” she circled William’s bare shoulder.

“Since when does no mean yes? What happened between us has nothing to do with Thomas Wallis.”

“So now you do admit that  _something_  happened between us.” Grell stretched her neck, her drowsiness wearing off, so was her earlier affection, as it appeared to be. “What is it then, Will? I don’t care if it had anything to do with that brat. He’s in jail anyway. But before that case, we could barely get our hands off each other. I want to know what changed since then.” Grell was still convinced that this case was what had been bothering William but since he was in denial, she thought she’d pursue from another angle.

William reached up to grab his glasses from the nightstand, “That case marked the end of our pupillage, so technically,  _everything_  changed since then.”

“Including our relationship?” Grell pressed further, “You’ve always been a moody mess, William, no matter what case you are dealing with. But that one was different. Part of that young man’s gloom stayed with you, and drove you away from me.” she still didn’t have her glasses on, so she couldn’t tell if his expressions changed as they spoke.

But William could see her clearly, and the hurt in her eyes made him wish she had never brought this up. He knew he couldn't undo what had already been done. The damage would remain as long as they lived. He tangled his fingers in her crimson strands as he whispered, “It was a tough case.”

“But we got it done!” Grell raised her voice to a point she was afraid it would crack, “We had our little disputes when we first handled his defence but in the end, we agreed to not appeal and just let him serve his time in jail as the court had sentenced. I know he probably hates us now but it’s not like he didn’t deserve it, so I don’t know what is bothering you.” she cupped his face in her hands, “Hey, even if we made a mistake and Thomas Wallis was miraculously proven to be innocent, we’re still in this together. If his eyes dare haunt you, let them haunt me too, but that’s no reason for you to walk away from me.”

William pulled her closer so she couldn’t see his eyes. There was so much going on his mind that he didn’t know where to begin.

_What happened to us?_

It was not as if they handled the case badly. Everyone was amazed that two junior lawyers were able to put together such an eloquent defence. But the outward glory somehow failed to warm William’s inside. He still couldn’t forget how Thomas Wallis looked at the two of them, how hopeful he was when he learnt that they were his defence lawyers, and how resentful he looked when he was led to his confinement.

And seeing Grell move briskly forward without the case taking a toll on her morale made his stomach cringe. He was cautious to not let his emotions show, but he also never found a way for relief. He unconsciously began building a wall around himself, distancing away from everyone, including the one person he cared for the most. And when he realized that he had made a mistake, the wall was too high and thick for him to break. The months after Wallis’ sentence were the most painful, and at one point he thought he had lost Grell forever.

But she appeared to be even harder to break than that invisible prison he so foolishly constructed for himself.

Because after everything he had done, all the harsh words that were spoken, she somehow decided to stay in his life. He thought they’d eventually go separate ways but there she was, right next to him. He knew he didn’t deserve her loyalty, it was purely her own decision. He wondered why. And while he was secretly grateful that she stayed, he never gathered the courage to ask for her forgiveness. Maybe she never blamed him, but he wouldn’t dare knock on that thin glass door she put on his wall. As approachable as she was, he was too frightened to break the glass and find out it was only a mirage. He was afraid to shatter the already broken pieces of their relationship. And he had only himself to blame.

“I…” was all he managed to deliver.

“Whatever you say, please don’t say we fell out of love.” Grell pleaded, “Because that is not true...at least for me.” her voice died down.

William frowned, turning to face her, “I wasn’t thinking of saying anything.” he muttered, “We’re a mess, Grell, and that’s all there is.”

“ _All_  there is?” Grell sat up, profoundly irritated, “Let me put it this way, you obviously enjoyed fucking me, but you don’t see our relationship as anything but ‘a mess’. You avoid my questions, refuse to tell me how you feel about me yet you were not at all put off by the idea of sleeping with someone who constitutes this mess you named.” she wrapped her naked body in a sheet and hopped off bed, snatching her glasses on the way, “You just want me to be your fuck buddy and not be burdened by my love.” she tsked and left the room.

“Where are you going?” William got up, but didn’t have the guts to leave bed nude.

“To work!” Grell shouted behind the bathroom door.

William fell back in bed and sighed as Grell bustled to get dressed. He didn’t feel like moving, save confronting Grell when she came out. He just let her leave, without exchanging another word. To him, it was a pathetic reminder of why he screwed up in the first place: unresponsive, passive and indifferent, it was what Grell detested the most and it was what he was the best at being.

They are indeed a mess.

_**T.B.C.** _


	7. Chapter 7

“Why is my office wide open?” was the first thing Grell asked when she made her grand entrance into the chamber.

Ronald hurried downstairs to greet her, “You’re back, Miss Sutcliff!”

“Again, office, open, why.”

“Oh, it’s Eric.” Ronald pointed at the open door, “You have a meeting arranged with him today, remember? I was just preparing your desk for the morning when he came in.”

“Why can’t he just wait in the lobby and chat with Alan, instead of occupying my office when I’m not there?” Grell moved upstairs, grumbling, “Why are men always like this, so ill-mannered and self-centric. One day I’m going to put that lawless motherfucker in jail...” she paused to look at Alan, who was staring up at her, stunned.

“You...don’t really mean it, do you, Grell?”

“O relax, cupcake. Of course I don’t.” she grinned, “Killing him is a lot easier.”

Alan sighed and went back to work, murmuring “should have stopped him” to himself.

~*~*~

“ _You_ , m’lady, did not go home last night.” was the first thing Eric said when Grell entered her office.

“That’s not true.” the redhead denied, dumping her coat on a chair.

Eric smirked, “You’re lying. I called your apartment yesterday, no one answered.” he leaned forward to sniff Grell’s sleeve, “I think I smelled a faint trace of…”

Grell immediately withdrew her hand, “Back off, creep.”

“It’s  _him_ , right?” he teased.

“It’s none of your fucking business.” Grell smacked his head with a folder, “I thought you were here for work, now stop fooling around.”

It was a strange feeling to be told by Grell Sutcliff to “stop fooling around” but Eric dismissed the idea of pointing out the irony, just to avoid extra drama.

~*~*~

The meeting went smoothly and soon Grell was showing Eric out of her office. The moment she opened the door and saw William and Alan talking in the hallway, she slammed the door shut so fast that Eric barely had the time to slip out through the tiny gap to escape the room.

Eric tip-toed towards the pair, patting his chest while faking a shiver, “She’s a freakin’ firecracker today.”

Alan frowned, “What happened?”

“She’s outrageously charismatic, keeps going off on me for no reason.” Eric squeezed himself between the two men, “Now would you excuse us, Alan, I would like to have a word with Mr William Tightass Spears.”

Alan rolled his eyes, “Watch your mouth, Eric. We’re in the middle of a conversation.”

“It’d only take one second, my dear.” Eric gave Alan’s hand a quick peck, turned around to wrap an arm around William’s shoulder and pushed him aside, “It’s about you, isn’t it?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about, Eric Slingby.” William pushed his glasses, “And my middle name is not...whatever you said it is.”

Eric made no effort to make William feel any easier, so he went straight to the point, “She wouldn’t admit it but I know she was staying with you last night, and you must have fucked something up real bad.”

“And how is that related to you, if I may ask?”

Eric glared at him for a second, then scratched his head in frustration, “I know your love life has absolutely nothing to do with me but if Grell is in a bad mood, it’s going to make Alan’s job very, very difficult. You see what I mean? Even _I_  couldn’t be in the same room with her for more than 10 minutes, what do you think it’s going to do to Alan’s fragile little heart? Plus, what about that kid you two are coaching together? Are you just gonna kick him around like a football? What about his future? Listen, I don’t care how you do it, woo her, fuck her, hook her up with someone else, whatever but just make her happy again so things can go back to normal.”

William shrugged him off, “Why are you so certain that I can fix the problem?”

“ _Because you are her problem_ , for God’s sake!” Eric held up his hands around William’s neck as if he was about to strangle him, “You made this mess, you fix it. Or you two fix it together, but definitely not Grell alone. It’s already the sixteenth of December, the holiday mood is strong, would be a good chance for you two to reconcile.” he quickly checked his watch, “Gotta go now. I hope you guys make up, okay? Otherwise we’re  _all_  doomed.”

William watched as Eric exited the chamber after a quick goodbye kiss with Alan at the door. His eyes rested on the file in his hand, but he had no idea what he was reading.

Ronald peeked from William’s office, after making sure no one else was in the hallway, he whispered, “I finished the draft, Mr Spears. Mind take a look now?”

William raised his head, gaze still fixed on some undetermined space, “Today is December 16.” he said dryly.

Ronald nodded, “Sure is, what about it?”

“Nothing.” William turned to walk back into the office, “I just lost track of dates.”

~*~*~

The day dragged on without much happening. Alan remained at his desk, possibly exchanging text messages with Eric every now and then to report the surprisingly lack of bloodshed in the chamber. Ronald, as usual, went to and fro the place at the demand of his two supervisors, who for the whole day never exchanged a single word, purposely hid in their own offices when the other person was out in the hallway, and carefully calculated their lunch hours to avoid bumping into each other in public. Ronald saw it all, but it wasn’t until the end of the day when he finally brought it up.

Time was approaching 4pm and it started to snow.

“Wow.” Ronald stood by the window, marveling the street view dotted with ice flakes, “First snow of the season. I thought it won’t come until January next year.”

Grell turned to look outside, seemingly unimpressed by the whitening of her sight, “You sometimes get it in December. I still remember last time it hap-” she stopped suddenly, and without an explanation she went back to work.

Ronald leaned against the wall, nervously scratching the cover of the book in his hands, “Are you alright, Miss Sutcliff?”

Grell hesitated, “Of course I am. What suggests otherwise?”

Ronald smiled faintly, “Nothing. Just checking on you.” he straightened up and walked towards the door, “I’ll be right back.”

~*~*~

William was too concentrated on the outside to even notice that Ronald had come in.

“Mr Spears,” the boy put down a couple of books on his desk, “do you remember the last time it snowed in December?”

Alarmed by the specificity of the question, William turned his chair around to face Ronald, “It doesn’t happen often but I do remember snow coming in December in my college years.” he noticed a smirk on the lad’s face, “Honestly, you can’t be asking this out of mere curiosity, Ronald Knox.”

Ronald put his hands up as a sign of surrender, “Nothing escapes your eyes, Boss.”

“You weren’t being very discreet either…” William frowned at the nickname. His pupil is indeed feeling a little too comfortable. “What is it that you want me to know?” he asked, expecting a retelling of Grell’s epic rant full of embarrassing details.

Ronald shrugged, “Nothing in particular.” he still had that playful smile on his face and it irritated William, “Just thought you should talk to Miss Sutcliff. You’ve been avoiding each other for the whole day and I can tell that neither of you are enjoying it.”

William turned his chair around to face the window again so Ronald’s all-knowing expressions wouldn’t annoy him any more, “I assume you have told her the same thing.”

“O no.” the boy answered, “Because I’m pretty sure she has tried.”

The clock struck four.

“If you have nothing else to add, I’d like to be left alone here for the rest of the day, Ronald Knox. I’m sure you also have work to do.”

Ronald stared at the back of the chair before reaching for the door, “Whatever you say, Selfish Giant.”

William’s eyebrow twitched at the name, but his pupil had already left.

~*~*~

Grell sank in her chair, eyes resting on the clock as it reached that fateful hour.

A message lit up her phone.

She held it up, and it read-

_“I’ll see you after work.”_

_**T.B.C.** _


	8. Chapter 8

Everything about this day: the snow, the wind, shadows of passers-by under the streetlamp, all reminded her of that night - the night when they stumbled on the wet pavements to Professor Anderson’s office, narrowly escaping the submission deadline of their term paper.

Grell checked herself in the mirror before leaving the office, only to find an empty hallway, with both Alan and Ronald gone for good, and the door of the office opposite to hers left wide open.

She sighed.  _Why does he always function in such mysterious ways?_

As she walked towards the open door, she can hear her heart pounding in alignment with the clicks of her heels against the floor.

There he was, leaning against the window fully dressed for the snow.

“Are you waiting for approval to go out, Mr Spears?” she joked.

He turned to look at her, “I thought you’d knock.”

“You left your door wide open, I assumed you’d expect me to walk right in.”

He blinked for a second, “I guess you’re right.” before straightening up to leave the room.

“What’s the plan?” Grell asked as William locked up his office, “Assuming you actually have one.”

“I know sarcasm, Grell.” William muttered before gesturing her to go before him, “I just want to walk you home.”

Grell gave him a frowny face, eyes skeptic.

Unaffected, William continued, “And we will talk.”

“About what?”

“About everything.”

Grell paused for a moment before shrugging, “Whatever, Professor Hawking.”

~*~*~

“It’s December 16th.” William said as the pair entered the cold of the night.

“I know.” Grell replied, brushing her bare hands against each other in the wind.

“Did you leave your gloves at home again?” William asked, trying to make the conversation less forthright.

“I left them at your place this morning.”

 _What a plot twist._  William turned away, slowly taking off his own gloves and handing them over to his companion, “Here, just give them back to me when you get home. I’ll return yours tomorrow morning.”

Grell accepted the offer without objection - she desperately needed them anyway, and at that moment she wasn’t feeling particularly guilty for making William suffer.

William didn’t seem to mind the lack of gratitude either, and simply walked on with hands in his pockets.

No longer having her freezing hands as distraction, Grell wasted no time to drag William out of his comfort zoned called silence, “So, what do you want to talk about? I’m sure I don’t have time for  _everything_.”

“Honestly, Grell…” they brushed shoulders as they walked down the busy street dodging people coming from the opposite direction, “I just want to pick up from where we left off this morning, that’s all.”

Grell sneered, “I thought that conversation was over the moment you decided that we’re nothing but a mess.”

“And since that statement made neither of us happy, I think we should at least try to sort this out, don’t you think?”

Grell let out a cynical laugh, “Mr William T. Spears taking the initiative and trying to sort things out, is it the end of the world yet?”

“I’m serious, Grell.” William sighed as he took off his glasses to wipe away the mist, “I thought about what you said this morning. And I wondered if things had to be the way they are now, and if they are inevitable.”

“Says the guy who freaked out over the slightest sign of change…” Grell murmured to herself.

“I’m trying to figure this out, Grell, don’t make it harder for both of us.”

“ ** _I_**  am making this harder for us?” Grell stopped to angrily stare at William, “You know better than anyone how I feel about you! It was  ** _YOU_  **who walked away in the first place and now  _I_  am the one causing trouble? I-” she began shaking her head in disbelief, “I gave you plenty of time to figure this out, William. There’s nothing I can do if you can’t handle the truth.” she hurriedly walked on alone before he could utter a word.

William didn’t know what to say, partly because of how right she was. So he only quietly followed her, keeping a safe distance for the rest of the journey, until Grell finally reached her door.

The redhead pulled off her gloves and tossed them in the air before William ran up to catch them in his hands.

William stuffed his gloves, now with the scent of Grell, in his pocket as he remained below the steps.

Grell turned around but did not speak.

The snow was getting heavier, and the outdoors is becoming a less ideal place to be by the second.

William looked up and asked, “May I come up?”

Grell shrugged before moving slightly to give him room to stand next to her in the doorway.

William quickly moved up the steps, almost a little too desperately, but he didn’t care. “I’m sorry.” was the first sentence that came out of his mouth. He wasn’t used to saying this, but it felt like the natural thing to do. Plus, he didn’t feel like he had control over his speech anymore, not in front of Grell.

Grell’s eyes were wide open in surprise, “For what, exactly?” and she was expecting that old “Everything” as an answer.

“For letting you go.” he couldn’t look at her when he said that, he couldn’t stare into her emerald eyes, fearing that he might find the tiniest hint of detest.

Grell could sense the uncertainty in his voice. Not to say it wasn’t a relief to finally hear him say that, but she’d not let her guard down just yet. So she let silence do her talking. Because if there’s anything she learned from dealing with William all these years, it’d be the almost fatal power of not talking.

William heard no response, which meant he had to talk on on his own. “Well,” he pushed his glasses up a bit, a subtle sign of unease, “you asked me this morning, you asked if we fell out of love…” he almost scrambled his words, for “love” was not familiar vocabulary. He wasn’t expressive like Grell, and despite their passionate days as students the very idea of being in love was still alien to him.

Grell didn’t know where William was going from there but she thought he needed a hand in conversing, “Yes?”

“You said it wasn’t true for you.” William still barely moved his eyes up, but his upper body was slowly leaning forward to be closer to Grell.

Grell blinked at the almost unnoticeable diminishment of distance. It was getting colder outside but she felt like a fever was brewing inside of her.

“And I just want to let you know, once and for all…” William finally gathered the courage to brush his thumb against her chin, “that it wasn’t true for me, either.”

Their subsequent kiss was brief, for Grell backed away almost as soon as their lips touched.

William went pale, expecting a violent reaction to his unwelcome gesture.

But Grell did neither. She just stood with her arms folded on her chest. “Why should I trust you, Will? I gave you the right to break my heart and you abused that power. How do I know that you wouldn’t walk away unannounced like last time?”

Years of studying and practicing as an undeterrable debater had not prepared William for this moment. Grell was right. He was to blame and now he had to convince this jury of one that his words were sincere and his stance firm.

It would be the most difficult defense he ever made in life.

“I was wrong, Grell.” he admitted, “I shouldn’t have complicated things by drawing lines with you. I never wanted to, it just...happened.”  _Wait, no, that’s a terrible excuse._  “What I’m saying is-” he took Grell’s hand in his, not caring if she’d respond with a slap on the face or kick between the legs, “I made a mistake, and I just want things to go back to normal.”

“What does that mean?” Grell asked, partly intrigued by his rare bluntness, “When are we ever normal in the first place?” she was almost smiling when she said that.

“I honestly have no idea.” William confessed, still holding Grell’s hand tightly, “But I like how we were, and I want us to go back to being that way.”

“Silly man.” Grell chuckled, “We can never go back to the past.” she laced her fingers with William’s, “But I guess I wouldn’t mind if we do a little reconnecting, if that’s even necessary. What do you think?”

William couldn’t quite express how he felt so instead he just leaned forward to kiss her.

Grell returned the kiss with a grin, savouring the moment. For the first time in years she felt her efforts had not been in vain, when she finally stopped feeling alone.

It was completely dark outside when the kiss broke. The snow had ceased while the wind continued to blow.

“I’m freezing.” William whispered against Grell’s lips, his eyes begging for one and only one answer.

“Come inside, my dear.”

~The End~

**_Epilogue_ **

Ronald Knox arrived at the chamber only to find that, surprisingly, both of his supervisors were already in their offices, kicking off a new day of work.

This created a real dilemma on Ronald’s side. For if only one showed up before him, he’d have no choice but to visit them first in the morning. But now with both of them waiting behind their desks, he had no idea who to attend to first and if doing so would upset the other. Moreover, he had no clue if their tension were still alive and well. Walking on thin ice would be an understatement of the difficulty he was facing.

“What were they like this morning, Alan?” he asked the diligent clerk while pacing below the steps.

Alan simply shook his head, “I was on the phone with Eric this morning. Didn’t quite catch their looks when they came in. And before you ask, he was calling me about work.”

Ronald sighed, “I wasn’t going to ask you in the first pla-wait, you said when they came in do you mean they came together, or separately?”

Without hesitation, Alan answered, “Together.”

Ronald blinked in shock, “That was unexpected.” he almost smirked when he noticed that Grell came out of her office, “Good morning, Miss Sut-”

“Get your ass up here right now, Ronald Knox.”

Ronald dared not hesitate. He immediately ran up the steps and into Grell’s office upon her command, “What’s the matter, Captain?”

“Skip the nicknames, Kiddo. We’re talking about serious business from now on.”

“Okay…?”

Just then, William walked in with a box in his hand, “You addressed your package to me  _again_.”

“Did I?” Grell lit up a toothy grin before pulling William into a quick kiss, “Thank you for bringing it to me, Darling.”

Ronald swore he saw a tiny hint of blush on William’s cheeks, but he was too stunned to say anything.

It appeared that only after they broke apart when William finally noticed the third person in the room, “Ronald Knox…” he murmured, looking as stern as ever, “I hope you can survive the second half of your pupillage.”

Ronald swallowed nervously, “ So do I…”

“Goodness, don’t scare him, Will.” Grell smirked, “That should be my job.”

They exchanged a look which Ronald only remembered as the moment when all hell broke lose.

He thought it’d be a nice idea to get his supervisors back together and happy again. Who would that hurt? Now they did seem to be back together and happy again, he realized that he had made a grim mistake. Because who would two equally intelligent and sadistic barristers possibly unite against?

**Him.**

~The Legit End~ 


End file.
